The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season for 2023/2024 will kickstart August 26 according to NPFL chairman, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, who also confirmed that the sum of N150m will be received as prize money by the eventual winner of the league for the new season.
The current league champions, Enyimba int’l of Aba, that won the NPFL Super 6 championship play off last season at the Mobolaji Arena in Lagos, got N100m, which means that a N50m upward review has been made in the winning prize.
The former Director-General with the National Sports Commission (NSC), made this known while speaking to journalists shortly after his inauguration as NPFL chairman along with his new board in Abuja by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
“The NPFL will kickoff August 26 for the 2023/2024 season, Elegbeleye said.
“Winners for the new season will get N150m as prize money, he also added.
Speaking further, Elegbeleye maintained that all preparations had been made to ensure a seamless new season.
He words:“The kick-off date is definite, we have taken steps that will ensure the smooth sailing of the new season with the intention to align with the European season. We hope the season ends on schedule with consideration of other football programs of the Nigeria Football Federation,”
“We want every club to update their stadia and improve their players’ remuneration for better performance.
“All the stadia classified as unfit to host NPFL matches remain banned, subject to inspection while that of the newly promoted clubs will also be inspected before the season starts. Any stadium that doesn’t meet the set standard will not be allowed to host any league game.”
On officiating, the NPFL Chairman says that he is hoping that referees who did very well last season would do better this season, adding that the success of last season was majorly due to the prompt payment of indemnities and allowances of referees and other match officials
“All through last season, we ensured that match officials got their dues two days before a game. We shall continue like that this season and will not hesitate to recommend any referee found wanting to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary actions,” Elegbeleye concluded.
